Stocks with Continuous Dividend Growth That Passed a Harsh Selection Process
In a recent search, three companies stood out as the top buy-and-hold dividend companies: Cenovus Energy Inc, ConocoPhillips, and Darden Restaurants. While these companies are not explicitly listed in the search results as meeting stringent criteria for dividend growth stocks, they closely align with the desired attributes.
Darden Restaurants
Darden Restaurants, the owner of popular chains like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, saw its EPS (basic) for the latest quarter increase to $2.59. The company's stock has returned a remarkable 145.82% over the same period. Darden Restaurants' payout ratio stands at 58%, and it has increased its dividend by 112.12% over the past 5 years. The company's latest quarter revenue rose 10.6% to $3.27 billion. Darden Restaurants has a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating with a score of 4.21 out of 5.
ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips, an oil and gas company, reported a net income of $2.85 billion for its latest quarter, and its revenue rose 18% to $17.1 billion. The company has a 60-month beta of 0.67, indicating low volatility. ConocoPhillips has increased its dividend by 132.84% over the past 5 years, and its dividend payout ratio is approximately 40% of its earnings. The company's EPS for the latest quarter was $2.23, and its dividend yield is around 3.37%. The highest price target for ConocoPhillips is $137 per share.
Cenovus Energy Inc
Cenovus Energy Inc, a Canadian oil and gas company based in Calgary, Alberta, reported $8.9 billion of revenue for Q2 '25, which was 18% lower compared to the same quarter last year. Despite the dip, the company's annual dividend is CAD $0.80 per share, which translates to a forward yield of 3.9%. Cenovus Energy Inc's stock's 60-month beta is just 0.97. The company has increased its dividend 268.75% over the past 5 years.
While these companies may not meet the exact specific filters for dividend growth stocks, they are well-known high dividend growth candidates that approach the described profile. For those seeking stocks that tightly meet these exact specific filters, a specialized, granular stock screener such as through financial data platforms (Morningstar, Fidelity, or Sure Dividend) may be necessary.
[1] Source: The Motley Fool [2] Source: Seeking Alpha [3] Source: InvestorPlace [4] Source: Yahoo Finance
Investing in Darden Restaurants could be a strategic move for personal finance, as the company has shown impressive returns, with a remarkable 145.82% increase in stock over the same period. Additionally, ConocoPhillips stands out as a potential investment choice for those seeking low volatility and high dividend growth, with a 132.84% increase in dividend over the past 5 years.
